Literary Criticism
Although many years have passed Since the publication of last part of the Witcher saga, its popularity is greater than ever. The tales of Geralt and his adventures keep conquering the hearts of new readers, and Geralt himself has become a hero of the widely recognized computer game. Elżbiera Żukowska’s book, titled Mitologie Andrzeja Sapkowskiego, closely investigates the mythological traits in the Witcher tales. This literary critic is interested in the way Sapkowski treats these myths, and how they are transformed into the end product which appears on the pages of the Witcher. It is undeniable that Sapkowski draws heavily on various mythologies, and Żukowska closely and often quite strictly points out each borrowing. Some say this book is a critique on Sapkowski’s alleged vivid imagination, others interpret it as an incentive which inspires to pick up the stories of Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer once more. "In the Land of Myth", or is Sapkowski the genius or retelling master? “Mitologie Andrzeja Sapkowskiego” is a thorough analysis and compendium which shows how the three main mythologies- Slavic, Celtic and Germanic, interplay in the world of the Witcher. It reveals the works which could have inspired Sapkowski during his writing process. Although Żukowska often critiques the author himself for not being quite as innovative as he is believed to be by his fans, she nevertheless acknowledges his vast knowledge and ability to draw from many sources and cultures simultaneously. “The way in which the author used celtic mythology in order to create his image of the Elven race, shows of course a high degree of knowledge of the Celtic culture, but puts to doubt the potential of his creative imagination”(62). Besides the three mythologies mentioned above, Elżbieta Żukowska discovers also the Arthurian motifs in Sapkowski’s fiction, both in the form of myth (King Arthur of the Celtic mythology), as well as the legend (King Arthur of the Christian Culture). She also dedicates a whole chapter on the process of paraphrasing, or a kind of parody or satire of the two most important heroes of the saga, Geralt and Ciria, in the context of their literary predecessors. Żukowska lets the reader enter the realm of mythology by showing a short description of various tribes, she describes their beliefs and rituals, which can be a delight for anyone interested in such details. She then separates the world of the Witcher into its subparts—time and place, characters, demonology, the spheres of sacrum and profanum—showing how they relate to mythology. „Mitologie Andrzeja Sapkowskiego” Allows one to put the whole saga in relation to myth itself, and only proves that the world of Fantasy draws heavily from both the world of fairy Tales as well as myths. She even defines the fantasy genre as “revolving around myth due to its nature. … it tells stories, which happened at a specific place and time. It has so much in common with myth that its immediate references to literary myths seem only natural”(135). Bibliography Kaczor Katarzyna, Geralt, czarownice i wampir, Gdańsk 2006; Sapkowski Andrzej, Chrzest ognia, Warszawa 1996; Sapkowski Andrzej, Coś się kończy, coś się zaczyna, Warszawa 2001; Sapkowski Andrzej, Czas pogardy, Warszawa 1995; Sapkowski Andrzej, Krew elfów, Warszawa 1994; Sapkowski Andrzej, Miecz przeznaczenia, Warszawa 1992; Sapkowski Andrzej, Pani Jeziora, Warszawa 1999; Sapkowski Andrzej, Opowieści o Wiedźminie, Warszawa 2003; Sapkowski Andrzej, Ostatnie życzenie, Warszawa 1993; Sapkowski Andrzej, Wiedźmin, Warszawa 1990; Sapkowski Andrzej, Wieża Jaskółki, Warszawa 1997; Wójcik Michał, "Wiedźmin", "Viva", nr 11 (112) / 2001; (MS), Wiedźmin i inni, "Film", nr 11 / 2001;